New Zealand’s darkest day.

Posted by freepronline on February 22nd, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Breaking news

The (Free-pr-Online.com) destruction in the central part of New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch, is enormous, after an earthquake struck in the middle of the busy afternoon there. 65 are reported to have been killed so far.

An earthquake, which measured 6.3 on the Richter scale shook, New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch at the worst possible time, at one in the afternoon on Tuesday local time. The quack has tentatively cost 65 people their lives.

The authorities fear that the figure could rise as rescue work progresses.

200 people are still trapped in collapsed buildings, reports TV station TVNZ.

Over the whole city there is widespread destruction. Many buildings have collapsed, and debris from collapsed buildings lie scattered throughout the city streets.

Also the city’s 147 years old cathedral, which was almost rebuild after the earthquake in September, has a lot of damage, and the Spire has completely collapsed.

Many were killed when two city buses were crushed under a collapsed building, writes NZ Herald News.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, who has just arrived in the city, called Tuesday the darkest day in the country’s history’.

The damage is enormous. It is so markedly different than the last earthquake, where there was, Yes, some terrible scenes, but this is a massive earthquake that has struck the heart of the city at a very, very busy time, said Prime Minister John Key to local media.

Earthquake in Christchurch

Facts

• The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale, struck at a depth of five km – 10 km southeast from the central part of Christchurch.

• 65 are reported to have been killed, but the authorities fear that up to 200 people are still trapped in the collapsed buildings.

• The earthquake that hit the city 4. September 2010, had a strength of 7,1, but struck at a depth of 33 km Therefore there is significantly more damage by the recent earthquake, it was far closer to the ground.

• Everywhere in Christchurch there are reports of fires. One of the city’s landmarks-Christchurch Cathedral-who survived the great earthquakes 4. September, has now almost completely collapsed.

• Measured several aftershocks in the area of a strength of up to 5.4.